Friction shock absorbing mechanism



June 6, 1950 G. E. DATH FRIcTIoN sHocK ABsoRBING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed De. l5, 1947 Gfe orge E 1Z0/7b.

June s, 195o G. E. DATH FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 15, 1947 lieven/br eor e if@ Patented June 6, 1950 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBNG MECHANISM George E. Dath, Mokena, Ill., assigner to W. H.

Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation f Dela- Wall'e 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbing mechanisms more particularly adapted for draft riggings of railway locomotives and cars.

One object of the invention is to provide a friction shock absorbing mech-anism of relatively high capacity, especially adapted for railway draft riggings having relatively short pockets for accommodating the mechanism.

A further object of the invention is te provide a friction shock absorbing mechanism adapted for relatively short draft rigging pockets, including a friction casing, friction shoes slidingly telescoped within the casing, a pressure transmitting Wedge member for spreading the shoes apart into tight frictional engagement with the interior friction surfaces of the casing and forcing the shoes inwardly of the casing, a follower bearing on the Wedge, and spring means within the casing yieldingly opposing inward movement of the friction shoes, wherein the friction casing is contained Within a spring cage and movement of the follower inwardly toward the friction casing is opposed by additional spring means contained within the spring cage, thereby adding materially to the shock absorbing capacity of the mechanism.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of my improved friction shock absorbing mechanism, corresponding substantially to the line I-I of Figure 3, showing the same in applied position, a portion of the draft gear pocket and a portion of the yoke of the draft rigging being shown in dotted lines. Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view of the friction shock absorbing mechanism shown in Figure l, corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 3. Figure 3 is a front elevational view, looking from left to right in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the wedge member shown in Figure 2, looking from left to right in said figure.

My improved friction shock absorbing mechanism, as illustrated in the drawings, comprises broadly a spring cage A; a friction casing B; three friction shoes C-C-C; a front follower D; a wedge member E; a spring resistance F within the friction casing opposing inward movement of the shoes, front follower, and wedge member; ad-

. ditional sets of springs G-G and G-G contained within the spring cage opposing inward movement of the follower; and a retainer bolt H.

The improved friction shock absorbing mechanism is illustrated in the drawings as contained in the usual draft gear pocket of the underframe structure of a railway locomotive or car, a portion of such underframe structure being shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 and generally indicated by Iii. The underframe structure I0 is of the type usually employed in locomotives and presents front and rear stop shoulders or lugs II-II and l2-I2. The rear end portion of the usual coupler shank, shown in dotted lines, is indicated by I3, to which is operatively connected a yoke M of well-known construction, also shown in dotted lines. The yoke ill supports the improved friction shock absorbing mechanism within the draft gear pocket between the front and. rear stop lugs II-Il and I2-I2 and transmits the draft and bufring forces thereto.

The spring cage A of my improved friction shock absorbing mechanism is in the form of a rectangular boxlike member, open at its front end and having spaced, horizontally disposed, top and bottom walls I5 and I6, spaced vertical side Walls Il II, and a transverse rear wall I8. The rear wall i8 presents substantially flat, vertically disposed abutment faces IS-IS on the outer side at opposite sides thereof adapted to cooperate with the rear stop lugs I2-I2, and a rounded rear surface 2@ therebetween, which cooperates with the inner side of the rear end of the yoke I4 which is correspondingly rounded to swivel thereon- The friction casing B is formed integral with the cage A and projects from the rear wall thereof, being disposed centrally between the side walls I--I'l of the cage. The casing B is of hexagonal, transverse cross section, two of the oppoite parallel walls thereof being formed by the central portions of the top and bottom walls I5 and I5 of the cage A, and the remaining four walls of the same being formed by a pair of connecting webs 2I-2I, extending from the Wall I5 to the wall I6 and formed integral therewith and with the rear wall I8 of the cage A. The Webs 2I-2I are of V-shaped transverse section, each web forming two diverging walls of the hexagonal casing B. The webs 2 I-2I also divide the spring cage A into sections, the sections at opposite sides of the casing B forming spring pockets 22--22. At the outer or open end thereof, the casing B is provided with three interior, inwardly converging friction surfaces 23-23-23 of V-shaped transverse section, each surface 23 being formed by two of the diverging adjacent walls of the hexagonal casing. As shown in Figure l, the front end of the casing B is preferably flush with the front end of the spring cage A.

The friction shoes C, which are three in number, are slidingly telescoped Within the open end of the casing B. Each shoe C has a friction surface 24 of V-shaped, transverse section on its outer side engaging with oneA ofv the V-shaped surfaces 23 of the casing B. Each shoe C is laterally inwardly enlarged at the forward end portion thereof, as indicated at 25, thus providing a transversely extending abutment faceV 26 on said shoe at the rear end of the enlargement. The enlargement 25 of each; shoepresents a wedge face 21 on the inner side thereof, which isv of V-shaped transverse section. The w-edge faces 21-2'5-21 of the three shoes C-C--C converge inwardly of the casing B.

The front follower D comprises a relatively heavy, substantially rectangular plate, having a rearwardly or inwardly extending, centralV projection in the form of a-boss 28 thereon, whichis located centrally between. thel opposite ends of the plate. The boss 23I is preferablyl hollow., as shown, and of circular crossisection and provides a pocketvfor anchoring the retainer bolt H. rEhe plate portionof the follower D overlaps the top, bottom, andl oppositeside walls of thefspring cage A and is provided. with; an inwardly directed, pe,- ripheral flange which extends from the top, bottom, and side edges thereof and presents a. Hat end; face 29- engageable with the outer end of the cage A to limit movement of the follower inwardly toward the cage. At the forward side, the follower Dy presents substantially ilat,.verti cally disposed abutment faces 3dB-3B atv opposite ends thereof cooperating with the front stop lugs |-I-| lf. The front surface of the follower Dfbetween the faces -Ss is rounded., as indicated at 3l, to t the inner side of the verticalv front end member of the yoke. On the inner side, the follower D is provided with intersecting ribs 32-3-2 which form abutment means for the wedge E and the springs GG.

The wedge E is in the form of a hollow block engaged over the boss 28 of the follower D and has itsouter end bearing on the ribs 32-32 of saiel-v follower. The wedge E presents threeV rearwardly extending, exteriorA wedge faces Sii-33- 33 of V-shaped transverse section, correspondingly inclined to and engaging respectively with thewedge faces 27-21-21 of the shoes C-C-C.

The spring resistance F comprises a relatively light inner coil and a heavier cuter coil arranged within the casing B andinterposed between the closed rear end of the casing formed by the wall .Ifof the spring cage A and the friction shoes ing on a spring follower disc 34 engaging the abutment faces 26v of the shoes.

The springs G-G and G--G are contained within the spring cage A, being arrangedin. pairs at opposite sides of the friction casing B within the spring pockets- 22-22. The springs G-G of each pair bear at opposite ends, respectively, on the rear wall I8 of the spring cageand the inner side of the follower D, and yieldingly oppose relative approach of the follower D and the spring cage A.

The mechanism `is held assembled by the retainer bolt I-I, which extends through the follower disc 34, the wedge E', and the boss 28 of the follower D and has its' opposite ends anchored respectively in the pocket of said boss and an inwar'dly projecting hollow boss 35 on the wall' i8 of the cage A.

'Ihe operation of my improved friction shock absorbing mechanism is as follows: Upon outward movement of the coupler in draft, the yoke pulls the spring cage A forwardly, compressing the mechanism against the front stop lugs l l-I I and forcing the cage A toward the follower D and wedge E, the wedge E and follower D being held stationary by the fronti` stop lugs: In buff, the coupler is moved inwardly, carrying the yoke therewith and compressing the mechanism against the rear stop lugs l2-l2, the follower D and the wedgeli^ being forced rearwardly toward the spring cage A and the latter being held against' rearwarclmovement by the stop lugs lf2-42. As the; follower D, together with the wedge E and the cage A are moved lengthwise of the mechanism with respect to each other in either draft or buff; the springs G-G and G-G are compressed between the follower D and the rear wall of the spring; cage A and the wedge E moves= inwardlyv of the friction4 casing B, wedging the shoesapart and also forcing the same-rearwardly of thecasing,V against the-resistance of the spring resistance F. High frictionalresistanCe-is thusproduced, in 'addition1 to-fthe resistanceprovided: by the four springs G-Ge-G-C. Com'- pression of the mechanism continues until; inward movement of the-follower D and wedge-Eis limited by engagement-of theifaceSIl-of theabutment flange of the followerD-with the: front end ofi the spring cage: A, thereby preventing Overcompression of the' springs. When the; actuating force is reduced, the springs return all: of the partsto the normal full4 releaseposition shown in Figures 1 and 2, the springsi,G--G:-G'G acting todirectly` forceV the. follower D- outwardly and theE spring resistance F, alsofa'ctingto force: the sameoutwardly by projecting7 the; shoes which are in wedging engagement. with the wedge E, which, in turn, bears on the` follower D, separa,- tioni ofthe follower D and cage A. being limited by the retainer bolt H.

l2 claim: v

1. InY a friction shock absorbing'mechanismy the combination with a spring cage-g. of a follower; a wedge menfiber movable with said follower to:- ward said cage; a friction casing 'withinsaid spring cage rigid with. the san-ie,7 said casing having interiorY friction. surfaces.; friction shoes within the casing slidable on the friction surfaces thereof; cooperating. wedge facesV on, said shoes and wedge member; a spring within the casing yieldingly opposing inward movement of the shoes; and springV means within said. spring cage at opposite sides of the friction casing yieldingly opposing inward movement ofY said follower.

2. In a friction shocl; absorbing. mechanism, the combination with a spring cage; of a, combined follower and wedge uni'tsaid cage and unit being4 relatively movable toward and away from each other;V a friction. casing within said spring cage rigid' withv the same, said casing havingv interior friction surfaces; friction shoes within the casing slidable on the friction surfaces thereof; cooperating wedge faces on said shoes and the wedge of saidv unit; a spring within the casing Yyieldingly opposing inward movement of the shoes; and two pairs ofv springs within said cage, said pairs being` disposed at opposite sides of the friction casing and yieldingly opposing inward movement of the follower of said unit.

S. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a spring cage; of a combined follower and wedge unit, said cage and unit being relatively movable toward and' away from each other; a friction casing within said spring cage rigid with the same, said casing having interior friction surfaces; friction shoes within the casing slidable on the friction surfaces thereof; cooperating wedge faces on said shoes and the wedge of said unit; a spring within the casing yieldingly opposing inward movementI of the shoes; and additional springs within said spring cage, exterior to said casing, directly opposing inward movement of the follower of said unit.

4. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a spring cage; of a combined follower and wedge unit, said cage and unit being relatively movable toward and away from each other; a friction casing within said spring cage rigid with the same, said casing having interior friction surfaces; friction shoes within the casing slidable on the friction surfaces thereof; cooperating wedge faces on said shoes and the wedge of said unit; a spring within the casing yieldingly opposing inward movement ci the shoes; and additional spring means directly opposing inward movement of the follower of said unit, said additional spring means comprisf ing springs arranged in pairs within the spring cage at opposite sides of said casing.

5. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a spring cage; of a combined follower and wedge member, said cage and member being relatively movable toward and away from each other; a friction casing within said spring cage rigid with the same, said casing having interior friction surfaces; friction shoes within the casing slidable on the friction surfaces thereof; cooperating wedge faces on said shoes and combined follower and wedge member; a spring within the casing yieldingly opposing inward movement of the shoes; and spring means within said spring cage at opposite sides of the friction casing yieldingly opposing inward movement of said combined follower and Wedge member.

6. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a spring cage; of a combined follower and wedge member, said cage and member being relatively movable toward and away from each other; a friction casing within said spring cage rigid with the same, said casing having interior friction surfaces; friction shoes within the casing slidable on the friction surfaces thereof; cooperating wedge faces on said shoes and combined follower and wedge member; a spring within the casing yieldingly opposing inward movement of the shoes; and additional springs within said spring cage, exterior to said casing, directly opposing inward movement of said combined follower and wedge member.

GEORGE E. DATH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,860,540 Haseltine May 31, 1932 

